We strongly believe that students should have the geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to prepare them for life in the 21st Century in a world of challenge and opportunity. Our curriculum supports students in developing a critical understanding of the world and how we interact with that world; how we can harm the world and how we can help it, how the world can harm us and how it can support us. Our curriculum and its sequencing develop our students' ability to analyse the changing world and how they interact with their environments enabling them to make responsible and rational decisions as global citizens. 

Through teaching and learning we aim to broaden our students’ world in terms of scope and access to cultures and cultural understandings from around the world, inspiring a passion and enthusiasm for Geography but also a life-long love of learning. We feel we are privileged to be teaching in a geographically rich location and as such our curriculum values physical units such as coasts and rivers. 

Like our subject, our curriculum is dynamic, reflecting our changing world and our changing students. We also recognise the broader development of students and the importance of learning both in and outside the classroom and within and across subject areas. The sequence and nature of the curriculum seeks to develop confidence in students and a range of transferable skills. 

Our curriculum gives students cultural capital enabling them to access careers, key skills and British values resulting in our learners having opportunities as responsible and curious global citizens. 

Year 7 

We split the year into three topics under the theme ‘Our Country.’ The first of which is called ‘The Geographer’s Toolkit.’ Students will learn to locate themselves within the world using a variety of Map Skills which become embedded at this early stage in their secondary career. We look at local Geography on the different maps helping students to fully understand how to use them.  

The Second topic is ‘Water Cycle.’ Students will learn how this fundamental resource is transported around the world and the factors which influence it. We also look at our local rivers and how the Water Cycle influences them - and the dangers they can pose. 

Our Final topic in Year 7 is ‘Settlement’. Students will learn how our towns and cities around the United Kingdom have grown and the impact our settlements have on our day to day lives. We also investigate the rural settlements of Dartmoor and how the physical Geography influences peoples’ lives in the area. 

We use a variety of lesson techniques which will enable Year 7 students to grasp an understanding of the key skills needed to succeed in Geography, develop a knowledge of their local area and gain an understanding of physical and human changes. 

Year 8 

In Year 8 students study Physical Geography around the world. Just like Year 7, the year is split into three topics – Coasts & Weather, Hazards, and Ecosystems. Throughout Year 8, students will learn how coastlines have been created, the processes that affect them every day and how we can protect human assets from destruction. Students will have the opportunity to make a choice based on current discussions surrounding the protection of our local coastline. They will also learn about the Hazards around the world which threaten people on a day-to-day basis including Earthquakes, tornadoes, and Climate Change. Finally, they will investigate the different Ecosystems found across the planet, especially cold environments, and look at how humans are influencing them – for better and worse.  

Year 9 

For our final Key Stage 3 year, students study Human Geography around the world and will focus on Development, Impossible Places and Globalisation. We look at why there are rich and poor countries across the world and the impact development will have on the people living in there. We also learn about Impossible Places around the world including the reasons for making themdifficult or simply impossible to live in such as Chernobyl and Dubai. Finally, students will investigate the concept of Globalisation and why ‘everywhere is just like everywhere else.’ We investigate China as a driver of globalisation and the influence the internet has had on our global culture. 

We believe we offer a board and exciting curriculum for all our students allowing them to make sense of the world around them as well as preparing them for GCSE and A Level Geography. Many of the key concepts link to future studies and skills learnt throughout the three years are used throughout the following courses. 

Year 10 and 11 (GCSE) 

Description of the course 

All students study the AQA 9-1 exam specification. The course is split into three human and three physical topics. Students also must complete at least 2 pieces of fieldwork (trips) and will be assessed in three exams at the end of Year 11. 

During Year 10, students study The Living World, Urban Environments and Physical UK landscapes. Students will learn about different cities around the world and the different opportunities and challenges they present depending on their economic status. Physical Landscapes includes theories on Rivers and Coasts which develops on student core understanding from Key Stage 3. Fieldwork is also conducted during Year 10 with trips to a local beach and city. Here students will investigate theories learnt in lessons in the real world. They are then asked questions about their experiences in an exam. 

During Year 11, students will study Hazards, Changing Economic World and Resource Management. Students will have a detailed understanding of Tectonic and Meteorological hazards along with Climate Chang for Hazards as well as an understanding of why we have rich and poor countries around the world. We finish by investigating the issues associated with the major resources around the world – food, water, and energy.  

The balanced core of human and physical Geography covers knowledge of places, decision making techniques, problem solving and an awareness of environmental issues. 

Assessment Procedure 

Regular mid and end of unit assessments will take place throughout the three-year course. Internal mock examinations will take place throughout Key Stage 4.  

Year 11 students will be assessed in Geography through three external examinations. 

• 35% Paper 1: 1 hour 30 minutes written examination on physical geography 

• 35% Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes written examination on human geography 

• 30% Paper 3: 1 hour 15 minutes written examination on geographical applications (this will include questions on fieldwork skills and a decision-making style exam question based on a pre-released document). 

Year 12 / 13 – A level 

Description of the course 

Students will follow the AQA A-level specification. The course is taught across two years and consists of three Human Geography topics, three Physical Geography topics and an externally assessed NEA.  

Human Geography consists of Changing Places, Contemporary Urban Environments and Global Systems & Global Governance. Students will develop a deep understanding of how the human world works and can question the environments around them. Students will consider how various places have different meanings and how agencies influence our perceptions of locations around the planet, how Globalisation has shaped the socio-economic world around us and how population change influences the natural world  

Physical Geography consists of Hazards, Water & Carbon Cycle and Coastal landscapes & Systems. A direct follow up from GCSE, students will explore hazards in far greater detail and appreciate how humans respond to hazards in different regions of the world. Students will also get to study hazards not included within GCSE. Students will also explore how the Water and Carbon Cycles influence life on the entire planet and the delicate relationship between humans and coastal environments in far greater detail.  

The NEA is an independent 4000-word research project which students will complete. They will get to choose their topic of choice and will complete independent fieldwork. This is a fantastic bridge between A level and University as it prepares students for Higher Education assignments. 

Assessment Procedure 

Regular mid and end of unit assessments will take place throughout the two-year course. Internal mock examinations will take place throughout Key Stage 5.  

• Paper 1: 2 hours 30-minute written examination on Physical Geography (120 marks) 

• Paper 2: 2 hours 30-minute written examination on Human Geography (120 marks) 

• Geographical Fieldwork Investigation (NEA) - 4000-word report about independent fieldwork (60 marks) 

Trips and Experiences 

We are proud to offer many experiences to students including day trips to Bristol and Dawlish Warren for GCSE fieldwork and a 3-day residential to Dorset for our Year 12 students. We offer fieldwork opportunities to our younger students previously visiting Dartmoor and the Eden Project linking the theory learnt into the classroom into the real world. 

We have also previously provided an experience to Iceland for our students in 2023 where we visited the Blue Lagoon, Icelandic Waterfalls, and Volcanoes as well as the world-famous Geyser.  

 

Meet the staff 

• Mr C Jones - Head of Geography 

• Mrs J Littlejohn - Teacher of Geography 

• Mr J Strachan - Teacher of Geography